Belal Muhammad has publicly accused Ian Machado Garry and other fighters of deliberately using eye pokes to gain an unfair advantage. Muhammad compared the trend to flopping in the NBA, suggesting the tactic has become a calculated part of some competitors' game plans.
Belal Muhammad has taken aim at what he sees as a growing problem in MMA, publicly calling out Ian Machado Garry and other fighters for deliberately using eye pokes as a tactical weapon rather than committing accidental fouls.
Muhammad, 37, holds a 24-5-0 record and currently sits sixth in the welterweight division, also ranking eighth pound-for-pound. The American Roufusport product has built his reputation on relentless pressure and wrestling, averaging 2.14 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 4.43 significant strikes landed per minute. He drew a pointed comparison to flopping in the NBA, framing eye pokes not as incidental contact but as a calculated strategy that some fighters have woven deliberately into their game plans.
His primary target, Garry, is the first-ranked welterweight contender at just 28 years old. The Irish fighter carries a 17-1-0 record and stands six-foot-three with a 74-inch reach, making him one of the larger athletes in the division. Garry lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy, figures that reflect an active and precise striking output.
Why it matters
- Muhammad is calling attention to a potential loophole that could influence how referees and commissions address eye poke enforcement going forward.
- With Garry ranked first and Muhammad ranked sixth at welterweight, the callout adds a competitive dimension to what began as a rules-integrity discussion.
- The reach advantage Garry holds — 74 inches compared to Muhammad's 72-inch reach and five-foot-eleven frame — gives the style-matchup context a physical edge relevant to the eye-poke debate.
- If the issue gains traction publicly, it could pressure officials to apply stricter point deductions for repeated fouls across the division.
